HIEROTOPOI

Mountains, springs and coastlines were not just scenery for the people of ancient Greece and Rome. Many of these places were seen as the homes of gods and mythological creatures, or as settings for important rituals. This research project explores how religious ideas and practices shaped natural landscapes in the ancient Mediterranean and how, in turn, these landscapes shaped peoples lives and beliefs. The project asks three main questions. First, how did communities in the ancient world turn ordinary places a hill, a cave, a river into sacred spaces? Second, how did people experience these places in their everyday lives, through movement, myths and ritual practices? Third, can these ancient ways of relating to the natural environment help us think differently about our own relationship with nature in a time of ecological crisis? To answer these questions, the project combines different kinds of evidence and expertise. Researchers analyse ancient texts, inscriptions and iconography, and they study archaeological remains and the spatial organisation of sanctuaries and processional routes. They draw on approaches from history, archaeology, gender studies and the academic study of religion. Throughout the project, the team works together in regular workshops and discussions to compare individual case studies and develop a shared interpretative framework. The project is based at the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Vienna and brings together specialists from Austria, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. This international collaboration strengthens Austrias position as a leading centre for the study of the ancient Mediterranean, while opening the project to dialogue with wider debates in the humanities and environmental studies. In summary, by looking closely at specific places such as mountain sanctuaries, healing springs or coastal shrines and then comparing them, the project aims to offer a new, more holistic view of ancient religion. At the same time, it speaks to broader questions that concern us today: how human societies give meaning to their environments, how sacred places can shape social and political life, and how past ideas about the natural world might inspire more sustainable ways of living with our landscapes in the future.